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Ahead of Saturday's season opener against
Sunderland at The Hawthorns, we spoke with Joe who writes for Sunderland website
Sunderland World.
He gives us his views on the Black Cats' prospects for the season, Gus Poyet, the Baggies, and
more. You can follow Joe on Twitter
@j_m_tilbury
and Sunderland World @SunderlandWorld.
Despite a poor season,
indeed a season you looked doomed for most of, the finish you had must have
given you hope for the one ahead?
Definitely. Its shown us the performances we are capable of, and some players
really delivered when we needed it most, most notably Wickham and Larsson.
However we have lost some key players from that run like Colback, Alonso and
Borini, so replacing them was crucial and thus far, we have done that well.
Anything Gus Poyet needs to do
better?
Whilst the passing game we play is easy on the eye, we need
to turn possession into points on a more consistent basis if we are to do well.
Highlight of last season?
Definitely the trip to Wembley, although doing the double
over Newcastle is a close
second.
Low point of last season?
The 5-1 defeat away to Spurs. It was a dire performance which
put us 7 points adrift at the bottom with as many games to go, against the likes
of Manchester United,
Manchester City and Chelsea. Even Gus admitted we needed a miracle to survive
after that one.
Player of last season?
Vito Mannone was solid since he replaced Keiren Westwood in November. Whilst
Borini and Johnson caught the eye on a number of occasions, they weren't as
consistent as Vito.
Villain of last season?
Roberto De Fanti, our previous director of football. Didn't
sign any of the players Di Canio wanted, so even without his alienating
management style he didn't stand much of a chance. Di Canio himself is a close
second though.
What have the club’s transfer
dealings been like during the summer and are you happy with them?
I think we've had a decent transfer window so far but more
needs to be done. We've replaced the players who've left with better ones (Pantillimon
for Westwood, Rodwell for Colback, van Aanholt for Dossena), however we still
need some pace in the team, which was something we lacked last season and a
goalscorer. Fabio Borini would be ideal, but he is rubbing fans up the wrong way
with his apparent disinterest in a move here.
How’s pre-season gone?
Pre-season has gone okay. We've beaten Udinese and Real Betis, and the tour of
Portugal finished with 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat. However I still think there
are more deals to be done, so the team that lined up in pre-season is probably
some way off from the finished article.
Player to watch?
Both van Aanholt and Rodwell come with points to prove, with
reputations as players who never quite lived up to what was expected of them.
Charis Mavrias is worth keeping an eye on. He was on the fringes of the first
team last season but is expected to make a breakthrough this campaign.
Prediction for Sunderland’s
season?
I think we'll have a more consistent season this year, and finish around 12th.
I'd gladly take that after last seasons rollercoaster ride
Prediction for Albion’s season?
I think you will struggle to be honest. I'm not convinced
Alan Irvine was the best man for the job, and it remains to be seen how the
likes of Ideye will do. You should have enough quality to stay up, but it'll be
close.
Thoughts on Craig Gardner?
I don't think we saw the best of
Gardner at Sunderland. He never
got a decent run in the team, and when he did play it was often at right back.
If you give him a decent run of games in centre midfield, or even just off the
striker, he'll get you some goals. He does have a fantastic attitude though and
seemed to genuinely understand and care about the club.
Premier League Champions?
I think
Chelsea
stand the best chance. They were only a decent goalscorer away from winning it
last year and they have that now. They've done the best business out of all the
contenders in the window so far too.
Relegated?
I don't think
Burnley or Aston Villa have strengthened well enough and don't have
the quality to rely upon week in week out. I also think
Leicester could be in trouble
and Hull could go down depending on how they deal with the demands of
Europe.
Prediction for Saturday’s game?
Neither side will be playing their finished Xl, so ill go for
a 1-1 draw.
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